The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-09-29
Miss Powen's Travels.
From Youths Companion.

Just why she should have decided
to leave her comfortable home and
travel in "foreign parts" for six
months, Miss Pamela Powell would
have found it difficult to explain.
Partly it was because the chance
had come to her.
"It was none OF my seeking" she
said to an inquiring friend. America
is quite good enough for me. l never
telt any call to go gadding about the
world in search OF something better.
This is James doing. I'd never have
thought of it if it hadn't been for him.
He's picked up foolish notion soms-
where that people who've been to
Europe are better off and
kind OF respected and looked up
to. and he wants his folks to be equal
to other folks folks. So when they
struck the new bed of ore in that
mine of his and it turned out to be
worth so much more than any one
supposed it was, he was taken with a
rich fit. and nothing would serve HIM
but must 60 over at his expense,
and travel the whole summer and see
everything.
In spite OF this disclaimer, | think
there may have been mingling OF
other motives in Miss Pamela's deci-
sion. She has a private desire to see
Europe in order to prove to her own
mind and the minds of others that it
was inferior to America. This was
not a broad or just view to take of
the matter, but there was certain
loyalty and consistency in it that
was very characteristic.
She was stanchly woman of her
word, and having consented to 60 she
did SO, on the first OF July, in one of
the grandest OF steamers. It was
her first experience of a large steam
vessel. Her dissatisfaction with
rything foreign began on the first
days OF her voyage.
"There can't be any use in all this
wabbling," she told the stewardess,
land that screw, or whatever it is,
that keeps up such a grinding would
run smooth if the engineer knew his
business.
But in spite of her protest the vessel
kept on ''wabbling'' and the screw
continue to grind. and Miss Pamela
had to endure both as best she might,
till, on the ninth day, her miseries
ended at Liverpool.
Ended, did I say? They only be-
gan.
A night on shore after many nights
at sea can never be unwelcome, but
Miss. Pamela was by no means
pleased with the arrangements of
the big Railway Hotel to which,
in common with most of her fel-
low w-passengers, she repaired. She was
asked double for her room because it
had a double bed in it, which seemed
Unfair, because she did not want a
double bed, and only took it because
no single ones could be had When it
came to the charge of a shilling for
the use of tin bathtub her indigna-
tion overfowed
I'm America we should be ashamed
to charge stranger for little water
to wash in," she said, severely, to the
"Boots," who had brought her BILL
"No charge made for the water,
mum; it's use of tub. Please remem-
OCA VIC OOOUS HULL.
| "Pm not likely to forget anything
at a hotel like this" responded Miss
Pamela, and she walked majes 5ically
on, taking no notice of his out
stretched hand. The railway was the
next object which excited her repro
baton.
"How behind the times these English
are!" she said to her next neighbor.
| "Row different these cars are from
ours! No stove, no ice.water, no
boys with books, and you can't get
up and move about if you want to
ever SO much. the baggage arrange.
ments are perfectly benighted. I ask
ed for a check, and the man didn't
even know what meant. He persist
ed in saying that it was all right and
l should have no trouble about get
ting my trunk in London, if only I'd
recollect that 1T was in the second
luggage-van. When I asked what was
to hinder some one else claiming it
and carryingi it away before Igot there,
he said if l liked I could get out now
and then and keep an eye on it, but
there wasn't often any trouble about
luggage. Gracious! what's that?" as
the door closed with lond click.
"Only the guard locking us in." ex-
planned her neighbor.
Locking us in That will not
submit to!" screamed Miss Pamela.
"Guard! guard! Come here this mo-
| ment!"
"Yes'm," said the guard, popping
his head in at the window as the train
moved away.
"Unlock that door at once, please.
can't imagine why you locked it. It
makes me as nervous as a fish out OF
water. Suppose the train should
catch fire. Pray, what what would
you expect us to do then?"
"Sorry, mum, can't oblige you.
Against orders of company, num-"
and the guard hurried away, clin .ing
to the window-frames as he passed
from one carriage to the other, and
leaving Miss Pamela at q white heat
of indignation.
Acting on the advice of fellow.
traveller, Miss Powell had telegraphed
in advance to secure lodgings in Lon
don. She found her rooms all ready,
and her landlady, one of the typical
sort, stout, forid, distinctly English in
her ideas and distinctly London in
her use and disuse OF the letter H,
waiting to receive her. Her name was
Mrs. Bexley, and she preferred single
ladies as lodgers to any others, for
long experience had taught her that
they furnished an easy prey for small
extortions and speculations. Miss
Pamela Powell, however, was one OF
another sort.
Her very first act was to produce a
patent catch, brought over for the
purpose, and affix it to the lock OF the
cupboard in which she proposed to
keep her private stores. Mrs. Bexley
surveyed this arrangement with great
disfavor.
"1ndeed, mem, there's no need for
such precaution-not in my 'ouse,
mem. I'm that particular about my
dodgers tea and sugar as if it was my
hown, men," statement which, be
it said, was strictly true.
gtVosvy 1e1yoIx, ~ L. H.